


Just The Beginning

by feathertail



Series: Infinity War Ashes Angst Party [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Ashes Scene in Avengers: Infinity War Part 1, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 12:13:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14568777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feathertail/pseuds/feathertail
Summary: Steve wishes this hadn't been how the end of the line came, but it had come. But he wasn't going to take it lying down.Doesn't have to be seen as Steve/Bucky but can be, I didn't write anything explicitly.





	Just The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FeralCreed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeralCreed/gifts).



A limp head lolls back on a strong, broad shoulder, eyes glassy and jaw slack. All tension flees from the muscles of the corpse as it sinks back, a heavy weight, against the body of a best friend he would never set eyes on again. Blood soaked the hands that scrabbled at his torso, trying in vain to stem the flow and save him whom he loved, but alas. Tears fell thick and fast as a low, keening wail spilled from the lips of the mourner, clasping the corpse to his chest, rocking back and forth in grief, one hand knotting in dark hair that hell to the shoulders, the other fisting in the body armour that had failed so miserably to protect him. A warrior’s death, by most accounts, He had fallen in battle, fighting to protect humanity and those he loved, an honourable death-

But he didn’t fall thus, no. There was no body to be mourned, no corpse to clasp, nothing to bury. Knees sank instead into a thin layer of dust, and fingers sifted through the particles, shock and horror, terror even, coursing through his veins. The only proof that he had been here was the gun, fallen carelessly to the loose leaf litter of the forest floor, beside the small covering of particles.

“Buck?” he whispered, attempting to grasp something, _anything_ substantial. But he couldn’t, could barely grasp smudges, and when a light breeze came, the particles spiralled upwards, caught on the wind, scattering far and wide.

Tears streaked his cheeks as he stood shakily, shrugging off someone’s hand on his shoulder. He couldn’t be dealing with sympathy right now. He blinked to try to clear his eyes from their briny, cloudy mist, turning a solemn gaze on the remaining fighters.

“Who- Who’s left?” he asked hoarsely, looking between them, heart sinking further as their number seemed so violently depleted. As they marched back to the plains to observe the carnage there and the stat of their forces, his hand grasped tightly the butt of the gun in his left hand, hanging uselessly there by his side. His head rang with his loss, _their_ loss, not just of Bucky, but over half their force. They had lost so many, how could they hope to defeat Thanos now?

He pushed onwards, as he always had. Back in the war, when Bucky had fallen from the train, he had pushed onwards. And then there had been no body to bury, either. But back then he had a purpose, he had hope for everyone, had no doubt that the world would survive without him. Now, despair sank deep into his chest, lodging there and spreading like poison through his mind. He had only just got him back, had only just reconciled, only just started to process that he could love again. And now it was wrenched from his grasp again, when it had been within reach for such a short period of time.

There was no body to bury, no hand to clasp in mourning, but he was not alone. Many had lost in that fight, both to death and to ashes. He was not alone in his mourning, and he knew they would be revenged. Thanos had made a terrible mistake, because those who were left were furious, and they had nothing left to lose – they would fight until they died in order to make peace with themselves, and that was what he would do as well. The fight was not over just because of the loss. It was only just beginning.


End file.
